When we think of inflammation you’d be forgiven for considering it a bad thing for the body and nothing more. While inflammation can cause significant and long-term harm, it is an integral and useful part of the immune system’s defence mechanisms.
There are two types of inflammation. The sudden, hot, red, swelling that might occur when you’ve banged a limb, taken a tumble or managed to get an infection is acute inflammation. It is how the body starts the fight against potentially harmful pathogens, as well as being part of the healing process. Generally this kind of inflammation would reduce over a few days or so.
The other type of inflammation is chronic. This is the same type of reaction as in acute inflammation except it persists to the point where it can cause damage to the surrounding tissues. Worse still is the inflammatory cells from your immune system can then end up travelling to other sites in the body spreading the problem beyond the initial point. Chronic inflammation can be the result of dietary and lifestyle choices, such as a heavy dependence on processed and packaged foods, smoking, alcohol consumption or sedentary lifestyles.
Conditions that are often associated with chronic inflammation include:
- Alzheimer’s disease.
- Asthma.
- Bowel diseases (such as Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis)
- Cancers.
- Heart disease.
- Rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Body aches and pains, or stiff and swollen joints.
- Chronic fatigue and decreased energy levels.
- Irregular, heavy or painful periods.
- Insomnia and poor quality sleep.
- Anxiety and mood disturbances.
- Constipation or diarrhoea.
- Acid reflux and GERD.
- Weight gain or weight loss.
- Frequent or recurrent infections.
At Morkare, our team of natural health practitioners will work with you to determine whether chronic inflammation is contributing to your health concerns and devise a plan of how to address it. Where acute inflammation is a concern, whether that be for colds and flus, or skin infections, we can assist with a variety of homeopathic and herbal medicines as well as nutritional advice either in-person or via online consultations.
